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Daniel Jackson Library
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Barters N Garters Library Runnin' with the devil Chapter One Neither Calla nor Daniel was in a big rush to get back to Colorado, life was always so much more peaceful here in Scotland. However, their problems back in the Real World wouldn’t wait forever. Before they left Calla brought half of a dark chocolate covered cheesecake down to a very grateful Angus McGee. Back home life in Greenbrier was doing its best to resume its normal pace. Bodies which had littered the streets when they left were gone and buried when they returned. Buildings and infrastructures were starting to be repaired, schools were expected to open on Monday—University of Colorado Silver Springs among them, which meant Calla would be returning to work bright and early Monday morning. That was just fine with Daniel, at the University she’d be away from David and the kids would be around if she needed anything. Until then he was apt to be tied up with the USAF giving his statements regarding recent events and trying to get the base cleaned up. Hopefully the really nasty part of that job had already been done. Today David was at the house alone while Daniel was off at the Base and the rest of them were fixing up Nick and Annie’s new house—which came through the battle relatively unscathed but had always been in dire need of a bit of TLC anyway—before the new couple moved in a few days from now. Nicholas wasn’t sure it was a good idea for him and Annie to move out not while good ol’ Uncle David was around, Nick would rather stay at the house with his Mother and Sister to be sure that Dad’s crazy brother didn’t do anything outrageously stupid. “How are you feeling, Annie?” Calla asked as she dipped a brush into a can of sky blue paint, that was the color Annie picked for the living room a few weeks back and the very color that they were finally painting it. “I’m good,” she said with a smile, her fair hair hidden beneath a red bandanna. “Something wrong….Mom?” “No,” Calla said easily, “just wondering how all of the hub-bub has affected you.” That was her way of trying to find out if Annie remembered anything Eros had done or the brief time she spent in Hades but it seemed that Annie knew nothing of the kind and Calla told herself that the next time she saw Zeus she would have to thank him for that. Only Grandfather could pull off such a grand stunt. “Looking forward to starting school?” “Yeah, well,” she mumbled, “kinda nervous.” “Why?” Calla asked stepping back to admire her work. OK, it was no oil painting but the wall looked nice enough. Annie finished the corner and dropped her brush into the half empty can. “I dunno,” she huffed nervously, “cause I wasn’t supposed to go to college?” “Ha!” Calla let out a hearty rush of air. “And whoever said that?” Annie tossed her head from side to side. “All them rejection slips I got and ‘sorry, we’d really love to help you but…’” “Oh, pish,” Calla huffed, “The University saw what a find you are, didn’t they Annie? A bit late I know but not too late.” Calla winked knowing the University Colorado Springs had nothing to do with Annie attending, it was she who was footing the bill her Son’s wife’s education and Calla couldn’t be happier about that fact. After all, it was her money and hers alone that she was using to help another female who could use a leg up…just as she could have used a helping hand so many times with Naganti Kanan. No one was there for her when she needed, she had scrape by and sell whatever pieces of her soul that Calla could find but not Annie. No way. Neither she nor Colleen would ever be dependant upon a man for the things they needed. They would never suffer the injustices and humiliations she had and that was a very good thing! Even if Annie fell out of love with Nicholas one day and went off on her own way, she’d still have everything she needed to make it in this Man’s World and that was a luxury Calla hadn’t been afforded until she got those degrees in her hand and, truth be told, not until after Andrew Fucking Hartley died, leaving her alone with her paintings and a contract to sell them. The money was delightful but more so was the freedom it afforded her. Freedom. Something that couldn’t be measured or even seen but was worth more than all the money and gold one could possibly carry. The more women she could give that most wondrous gift to the more Calla would feel that her life was worth something and that, of course, was why she kept the Women’s Shelter going in such grand style. Calla didn’t forget about them after the battle, no way Jose. She made damn sure Angie had all the funds and resources she needed to rebuild the shelter better than ever and to keep the women and children there fed, clothed and with a roof over their heads. “Tomorrow we’ll go and poke around the mall is open again. We’ll see if we can’t pick up a new outfit or two and some school supplies.” “Thanks Mrs. J but I got it covered.” In her pocket Calla’s cell phone began ringing before she could protest Annie’s statement. Calla fished it out to see Daniel was calling. Why he insisted on using the phone she didn’t know but that was all right with her as she liked hearing his voice. “Hello, Beautiful. How are you?” “Hi sweetheart,” he cooed into the line sure that she could see the grin on his face but then he deflated a bit. “I hate to tell you this but I have to go Washington for a few days.” “Oh no!” She groused. “So soon? So long?” They both knew this was coming but she hoped he’d only have to stay away from home for one night. Things barely begun to get back to ‘normal’ in the Jackson household there was so much they’d yet to talk about so many things left unsaid and undone. At this rate they’d never get there. Calla turned her back to Annie and half covered the transmitter on the phone. “You won’t be here for the funeral tonight.” She whispered so no one would hear. Calla didn’t want to upset Colleen anymore than she already was. “No I won’t.” Daniel mumbled not really caring about the situation. He hadn’t known Sandy all that well and only met his parents once. Only Colleen had any reason to care about them being buried. Still, he should be there for his Daughter but Daniel just had to get this over and done with. “I’m sorry about that, Kitty, I’ll explain it to Colleen. But you go for me, ok? I promise I won’t be gone longer than two at the most. I already talked to Nick, he’s keeping an eye on Davy. Listen to me, you throw his ass out, do you understand? One wrong move and he’s history.” “Let’s hope he behaves.” She mumbled still not taking her hand away from the transmitting end of the phone. The last thing Calla wanted was a knock-down drag-out between Nicholas and David. “I know you, honey. You’ll take his shit until I come home and then…..” “Then you can tear his throat out.” Calla huffed. “Is that a joke?” He asked. “It was almost funny.” “Oh why thank you, I love you too. You will come home for your clothes and to kiss me good-bye, won’t you?” “You know I will. In fact, I’m on my way now. I want you to meet me at the house in an hour or so.” Calla didn’t have to ask why he wanted her to wait so long, it was obvious he wanted his own chance to talk to his brother who’d been very elusive these last two days but as far as she knew he was at the house today. “All right, an hour but no more. I want a little affection before you go, especially if you’re going to be gone so long.” “You got it. I love you, Kitty.” The line went dead in her hand and Calla put the small phone back into her jeans pocket. “I have to go in a little while,” she told Annie, “Daniel’s off to DC for a few days and I need to help him pack.” Calla let out a deep sigh not looking forward to spending any time alone with David but, then again, it did mean that she would have some time alone with the kids and Colleen needed her Mother right now. They had yet to talk about Sandy’s death and Calla wanted to make sure that Colleen understood nothing was going to change because Lilly’s father was gone—not that he’d been much of a father to start with. Calla was sure that this was a good thing and that now Colleen would be able to find a man who would love her for her and not because he was a horny little bastard and who would be a good father to Lilly. “Nicholas? Colleen?” She called out. Nicholas was upstairs painting the ceilings, he’d been given that job because he was so damn tall that ‘overhead work’ just didn’t mean the same thing to him as it did to other shorter people. Now the twins came into the room and Calla told them what was happening. Everyone decided to pack it in for the day and come back tomorrow to finish off. It seemed everyone had something to say to Daniel before he left town for a few days. End Chapter One Of This story and all stories in the Barters N Garters Library are copyrighted to Lisa Beth Darling these stories
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Dancin' With the Devil
by
Moon Mistress
a/k/a
Lisa Beth Darling
God damn it lady. You know I ain't lyin' to ya
I'm only gonna tell you one time-ya!
Runnin' with the devil
Yes I am! Yeah!
Runnin’ With the Devil
Van Halen
Dancin' With the Devil
Continue to
Chapter Two